Frequency synthesizer phase locked loops have been utilized in communication transceivers for some period of time. The normal approach is to use a varactor tuned voltage controlled oscillator in combination with controlled modulus frequency divisors in the phase locked loop to produce the desired output frequency. In these prior art techniques, a varactor, or voltage controlled capacitor, is commonly used to vary the resonant frequency of the VCO tuning network in accordance with a control voltage. This approach requires the use of high varactor control voltages, typically, 12 volts or more, to achieve the VCO tuning range that is needed for feedback transceiver applications. In the case of small portable devices, especially single cell receivers, the voltage required and power consumed by this varactor tuning approach in a frequency synthesizer would consume excessive power and would result in a very shortened battery life.
The present invention is intended to overcome this disadvantage of the prior art by providing a channel frequency memory which provides not only the appropriate phase locked loop divisors for a PLL-VCO synthesizer but also alters the VCO frequency tuning network by selectively adding discrete capacitors to the frequency determining network of the VCO as a course frequency adjustment. Thus, only a low voltage, low varactor network with a much reduced tuning range is required to fine tune the VCO and allow the loop to operate properly.